Automatic locking-receptacle.



1w. CARTER. AUTOMATIC LOCKING REGEPTAGLE. I APPLIQATION FILED MAILZB, 1908.

Pateted Feb. 9, 1909.

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J. W. CARTER.

AUTOMATIC LOCKING BBGEPTAGLE.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR. 28, 1908.

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W/ TNE SSE S' wmf@ Arrow/fysms mams PErERs ce.. wAsmwcraNfnc .TOSI/AH WALLACE CARTER, OF TURNERSVILLE, NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC LOCKING-RECEPTACLE.

Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Feb. 9, 1909.

Application led March 28, 1908. Serial No. 423,968.

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, JosiAH WALLACE CAR- TER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Turnersville, in the county of Gloucester and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Automatic Locking-Receptacle, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to automaticallylocking receptacles, and is especially useful as a holder for milk bottles and the like, where there is a constant danger of unauthorized removal of the bottles after they have been delivered.

An object of the invention is to provide a receptacle having means for automatically locking the same when an object has been placed therein, and which necessitates the opening of a door or the like, to permit the release of a trigger to unlock the device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple, durable, and inexpensive receptacle for receiving and retaining bottles or other objects, and which can be locked by the insertion of the object therein.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims. v

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication, in which similar character of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, and in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the device, showing in dotted outline a bottle located in the receptacle; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the device, showing in dotted outline a bottle released from the receptacle; Fig. 3 is a cross section showing in plan view the locking mechanism; Fig. 4 is a plan view showing a bottle after being locked in the receptacle; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view showing the trigger mechanism.

Before proceeding with a more detailed description of the invention, it should be understood that I provide a receptacle adapted to be mounted on a door or door frame, which onthe receipt of a milk bottle or other object, automatically closes into a locked position in which it remains until the door is opened and a trigger is released. This device is particularly useful in neighborhoods where milk in bottles is delivered early in the morning, and where it would be easy for an unauthorized person in passing to appropriate the same. I provide in combination with the locking mechanism, means for raising a bottle after the closure has been unlocked, so that it may more easily be taken therefrom.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I provide a frame 1 of any suitable material, such as iron, steel, brass, or the like, having a bottom 2, oppositely-disposed sides 3, and a front t, constituting a keeper. The latter has lateral flanges 6, which by means of rivet pins 5, pivotally carry the keeper between the opposite sides 3 near the center thereof. At their upper ends, the sides and front have flanges 7 forming a circular opening 8 to receive a bottle. The front further has a base flange 9 near the lower end 10 thereof, the latter serving to engage the bottom 2 to limit the movement of the keeper. In the preferred form, as shown in the drawings, the edges of the sides 3 which are adjacent to the keeper, each have a lower substantially vertical portion and an upper inclined portion, so that when the keeper is in a vertical position to permit the insertion of a bottle, the lower portion of the keeper and the lower portions of the edges are iiush, and when the front is in an inclined or locked position, its upper portion is flush with the inclined portions of the edges, the pivotal point of the keeper being adjacent to the intersection of the vertical and inclined edge portions of the sides. However, I do not limit myself to this construction or other structural details herein, as others equally advantageous may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Movably mounted between the sides 3 near the bottoms thereof and the base flange 9, by means of cross rods 1l, are plates 12, the latter having at their outside edges, eX- tensions suitably formed into sleeves 15 to receive the cross rods 11. Similarly, at their inside or adjacent edges, the plates 12 have extensions 13 forming sleeves in which is arranged a hinge pin or rod 16. Helical springs 17 having their ends 18 laterallydisposed and resting upon opposite plates 12, are arranged on the hinge pin 16. The springs serve to draw the plates 12 into an angular position with respect to one another, thereby swinging the keeper into an open position, as shown, for example, in Fig. 2.

`Studs 27 are located on the plates for supporting a bottle and keeping it out of contact with the locking mechanism.

The locking mechanism includes a trigger 19, having a downward]y-disposed and manually-operable finger 20, and having substantially parallel and upwardly-disposed fianges 21. The trigger has slots 28, which receive screw studs 29 of the bottom 2, whereby the trigger is slidably and guidably mounted. A scar 22 pivotally mounted by means of a cross pin 23 or the like between the flanges 2l, engages the hinge pin 16 to lock the plates in a depressed position. A helical spring 24g arranged on the cross pin 23 and having one of its ends resting against the sear 22 and the other end engaging one of the flanges 21, serves to retain the sear in operative engagement with the pivotal member 16, when depressed by the latter.

This device may be attached to either a door or a door frame, although the latter is preferable. For the attachment of the invention, screws 25 arranged in the sides thereof, may be employed. In the unlocked position, the keeper 11 stands vertical, the end 10 thereof engaging the bottom 2. The plates 12 by the action of the helical springs 17 are drawn into an angular position with respect to one another as shown in `Fig. 2, thus holding the keeper in an open position. l/Vhen a bottle is inserted in the receptacle, these plates are forced down until the hinge pin 16 comes into engagement with the sear 22, the latter locking the hinge pin and the plates. At the same time that the plates were being pressed down, the keeper 1, which on its base flange has one of the plates 12 secured, moves out of the vertical into an inclined position, as shown in Fig. 1, thus constituting the opening S to lock the bottlc in the receptacle.

To open the receptacle, it is necessary to pull the trigger 19 by means of the finger 20, which withdraws the sear from engagement with the hinge pin and allows the plates to assume an inclined position, the spring 18 being strong enough to raise the plates against the weight of the bottle. This draws the keeper again into the vertical position and permits the removal of the bottle.

As before mentioned, my device is applicable to either window frames, door frames, doors, or the like, irrespective of the direction in which the latter swing, the important feature being to have the downwardly-disposed finger 2O of the trigo'er adjacent to the woodwork or the wall, so that the receptacle cannot be released unless first removed from engagement with the wall.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a device of the class described, a frame for holding a bottle, said frame having sides, a keeper pivotally mounted between said sides and adapted to lock the bottle in said frame, and means operable by said bottle to cause said keeper to assume a locking position, said means forming a support for the bottle in said frame.

2. In a device of the class described, a frame for holding a bottle, locking means for securing the bottle within said frame,-

members movably mounted at said locking means and said frame and controlling the former, and means for holding said members in a depressed position, whereby said locking means is operative, said members supporting the bottle.

3. In a device of the class described, a frame for supporting bottles, a keeper pivotally mounted on said frame, plates movably mounted on said keeper and on said frame, a hinge pin connecting the adjacent edges of said plates, a trigger having a pivoted sear adapted to engage said hinge pin, and a finger for manually operating said trigger to release said sear from said hinge pin, and Y means for holding the plates in a normal position.

1. In a receptacle, a pivoted keeper, plates arranged near the bottom of said receptacle, one of said plates being movably secured be-` tweenthe sides of said receptacle, the other of said plates being movably secured to said keeper said plates further having extensions at their adjacent edges to form sleeves, a hinge member arranged in said sleeves, and resilient means arranged on said hinge member and having ends resting upon said plates for normally holding the latter at an angle with respect to one another.

5. In a receptacle, a frame having a pivoted front forming a keeper and adapted to be arranged in an inclined position, whereby a bottle within said frame can be locked in position, plates arranged within said frame and secured respectively to said frame and said keeper, said plates having a hinge connection, a trigger adapted to engage said hinge connection to hold said plates in a depressed position, resilient means tendina normally to elevate said plates, whereby said keeper is arranged in an inoperative position, and means for manually operating said trigger, said last mentioned means being tion, said resilient means forming a support for the obj eet and operated by said object to lock said keeper in operative position.

8. In a device of the class described, a frame for supporting a bottle, a pivoted keeper adapted to lock said bottle in said frame, plates movably mounted on said keeper and between the sides of said frame= a hinge member between said plates, and 10 means for engaging said member to lock said plates in a depressed position, said plates being,` adapted to support the bottle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speoiieation in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSIAH WALLACE CARTER.

Witnesses:

S. CONRAD OTT, JOSEPH H. CARR. 

